Further Along

The book began with the words, “This book is by the one who thought he’d be further along by now, but he’s not.” It doesn’t matter who wrote the book, for its author is legion. Nor does it matter the title of the book, for the opening line describes the book everyone hoped to write someday. How have we learned so much, yet applied so little? How have we grown so much, yet matured so little? Oh, I know a few whose ego allows them to believe they have arrived at perfection or at least they camp out in its vicinity. I remain their friend because I figure they need someone who sees through them and still likes them. I know many who are still on pilgrimage, struggling ever upward to their goal, however they understand it. I remain their friend also for we are sometimes on the same stretch of road and it’s good to fellowship with the like-minded. I also know of an Apostle named Paul who wrote, “For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice” (Romans 7:19). I thought Paul would have been further along on his journey by the time he wrote this. Press on fellow pilgrim!

Join me this week in remembering the following global concerns:
• Pray for those of us who gather this week in Washington D.C. for the semi-annual meeting of America’s National Prayer Committee.
• Pray for Joe’s safety as he returns this week to Donetsk, in eastern Ukraine.
• Join with the Canadian National Baptist Convention as they spend May praying for a spiritual harvest in Canada. More information is available at http://cnbc.ca/articles/prayer-calendar-2014.
• Pray for Tommy and Beth as they lead a School of Cross-cultural Missions in Arequipa, Peru on May 5-9.